Chapter 5: Half-demon

“What do you mean?” Lafeier asked.

“My lord, in a prison, especially in a mixed-blood district with many people and diverse races, the formation of social classes is inevitable.” Sophia spread her arms, her brown braid swaying with her movements under the flickering candlelight. Her pale cheeks flushed with red, her emotions surging freely as she spoke of an indescribable madness and mystery in the quiet, empty warden’s office.

“Where there is class, there is oppression. The manifestation of this oppression is not employment, not submission, not forced labor, but pure malice meant to demonstrate power!” Like an orator, she used exaggerated gestures and a passionate tone to expound her unique insights.

“And she, Kelisidina, with her docile personality and frail body, naturally became the one at the bottom, dominated, oppressed, and humiliated! Ah, only death could free her from that shame and oppression. Therefore, my lord, I permitted her to seek death, to reach the kingdom of freedom governed by the Lord!”

“I understand.”

Lafeier couldn’t really agree with Sophia’s view. But he also felt a bit emotional. Sophia, perhaps just one step away from unlocking a new mode.

‘What a crazy woman.’

The limitations of the era were fully displayed in her and all mixed-bloods.

“Both of you, withdraw for now. Estina, stay.”

Upon hearing this, Sophia immediately reined in her flamboyant attitude and became reserved and elegant again.

“Yes, my lord. Allow us to take our leave.”

After saying that, she pulled Rena, who was playing with a potted plant nearby, and left the warden’s office.

“Grandma said urine helps plants grow… Urgh! Sophia, why are you pulling me? Let go, let go…”

Bam!

The door slammed shut.

“My lord, are there any other orders?” Estina asked.

“I need the detailed information on this prison. Bring me everything you can find.”

“Yes!”

Estina bowed and withdrew. Inside the warden’s office, only Lafeier and Kelisidina remained.

“Can you understand me, little one?”

The girl, upon hearing this, nodded numbly.

A prisoner with a Sin Level of 0, execution reward was dried fish. Lafeier had no reason to execute her. What would he do with dried fish? Was he a glutton with nothing better to do? But even if the execution reward were generous, Lafeier would not want to kill an innocent person, even if she sought death herself.

For someone like this, Lafeier immediately had an idea.

‘A death warrior.’

If he affirmed a person who had been bullied to despair and wanted to die, and helped her take revenge, what would happen?

Lafeier was nominally a member of the House of Lancaster, a top-tier noble family in the empire, but relying on such power was ultimately borrowing a tiger’s might. To establish a foothold in the empire and carve out a smooth path, having one’s own power was undoubtedly necessary. Before becoming a power in his own right, he needed a trusted force absolutely loyal to him.

Mixed-bloods, possessing human intelligence and Blood Race’s brute strength, were undoubtedly the most worth training. Many families also had the habit of buying mixed-blood slaves and training them as warriors. Moreover, the ability Lafeier possessed as “Executioner” allowed him to see a prisoner’s Sin Level, thus enabling him to quickly select suitable candidates for training. What if he made prisoners into prison staff? Could the “Warden” abilities be used? This was also a pressing issue.

“Kelisidina, um…” Lafeier paused. “Who gave you your name?”

The girl slowly raised her head. Her hollow eyes quickly scanned Lafeier, but the luxurious clothes made her lower her head again. It was not permitted to look directly at a noble; the dirty, despicable race must not defile the noble’s purity. Not answering a noble’s question was also not allowed. As a servant and slave, one must obey the noble completely…

“My lord,” the girl now seemed to struggle even to speak. “It was the name of the previous prisoner. Kelisidina. My lord, I have no name.”

“I see. Then from now on, I’ll call you Tina. What do you think, Tina?”

The girl nodded, her voice still trembling. “Yes, my lord. I am called Tina.”

[Individual Name: Tina]

[Sin Level: 0]

[Execution Reward: Tempered dried fish]

There was no emotion on the girl’s face. Numb, hollow, submissive—she seemed to accept this new name very easily.

‘It seems I’ll need some unorthodox methods to win her over,’ Lafeier muttered. A person without dignity or individuality could not be made to feel “anger” no matter how much he advised, let alone the gratitude and loyalty that accompanied anger.

“You want to die, don’t you?”

Step one: Plant a seed that could grow into anger in her—in Tina’s heart.

The girl nodded.

“Why?” Lafeier pressed.

“Because… it hurts. It’s painful.”

Tina hugged her right arm with her left hand, her twig-like fingers pinching the withered skin, leaving a long-lasting red indentation.

“Then who caused your pain?”

“It’s…” She wanted to say it was Alpha, the head of her cell block, but Alpha had said she was a filthy scum, livestock, and all her suffering was her own fault. “It’s me… my filth.”

“No, you’re wrong.”

Lafeier gently lifted the rag covering Tina’s head, and along with it, the cloth hiding her shameful wounds, both fell to the ground.

“My lord…” Tina’s body trembled, and her face flushed. “This… this will dirty your eyes…”

She stammered, her fingers gripping tighter, a wave of shame stuck in her throat. She stepped back half a step, the chains on her metal shackles jingling softly.

“You are not dirty,” Lafeier said, unhurriedly placing his hand on Tina’s shoulder. The girl instantly calmed down, leaving only wave-like tremors traveling back to Lafeier through his palm.

“Look at me,” Lafeier said softly.

“But…”

“No buts. That’s an order.”

“Mm…” Tina painfully turned her head. After confirming that she wouldn’t be blinded by holy light, she slowly opened her eyes. Her red pupils reflected Lafeier’s lean face like gems, but the gems had no luster; a layer of turbid filth covered their surface.

“So? Do I look any different from you?”

“You…” Tina took a deep breath. Though her face bore scars, it could not hide her delicate, well-defined features. “You don’t have horns, no furry ears, no tail…” she answered softly, afraid of offending the noble man before her.

“No, I mean a deeper difference.”

The girl looked puzzled. “A deeper difference?”